Chance Encounters
by Rakanadyo
Summary: It's often underestimated how much impact a meeting between two people can have. Sometimes a person can bring new perspective to another. Sometimes two who already know one another can learn something new. Sometimes two people can meet, but only one walks away from that meeting. A lot can happen during even the briefest of encounters.


Winter in London... Lena always thought it was beautiful, especially at night. She could spend all night roaming the streets, people-watching, and waiting for the passing of each hour to hear the chimes of Big Ben.

Tonight, though, she had somewhere to be. When she knew her beloved was fast asleep, she slipped out of bed. She slipped on some warm clothes, her chronal accelerator, and a coat and scarf, all as silently as she could manage.

As she was putting on her favorite goggles, though, the light to the living room clicked.

"You're going to go talk to him again, aren't you?"

Tracer felt a chill down her spine as she turned around and saw Emily standing there, trying to look serious with her huge bed-head. If this were a less serious time, she'd burst into laughter over it.

"Um... Y-yeah..." was all she could say. Emily simply sighed and walked over, pulling her into a hug.

"Lena, you don't have to... What happened wasn't your fault..."

"I know..." she replied as she returned the hug. That was a lie, though. Ever since that night, she knew that it was her fault. She let it happen, under her watch... "B-But..."

"It's ok. If it makes you feel better, you go on ahead. Just come back soon, alright? You know how much I hate sleeping alone..."

Lena smiled and leaned in, giving her a kiss.

"Don't worry, love. I won't be long."

With that, she put on her goggles and left. Emily waved, but then frowned.

"Oh, Lena... Why is it I can let you fight shotgun ghosts alongside a super-smart gorilla, but I worry so much about you talking to a statue?"

* * *

Outside, Tracer walked slowly along the empty roads. Although she was pretty energetic and could run around easily without tiring, on nights like these it was good to just... slow down and think. She simply watched the snow fall from the sky, looked at the occasional other late-night walker and wondered what their lives were like. Even though the goal was to take it slow, it felt like no time before she could see her destination ahead.

King's Row, this area was nicknamed. It was right in the center of the city, and was typically regarded as the most upper-class area of the entire United Kingdom. While the wealthy elite of England probably enjoyed this place, most, including Lena, felt bitterness. Outside of anarchist hellholes like the Australian Outback, this was probably the worst place in the WORLD when it came to human-omnic relations. The poor things were treated worse than some would treat their household appliances, and had to escape to an underground city nicknamed Underworld to avoid those with hatred and violence in their hearts.

 _"And it's my fault. I let this happen..."_ Lena thought. As she did, she looked up and found what she had come here for.

A large statue, right outside of Alderworth. A robed omnic stood proudly, holding the hand of a human child, looking proudly at the large globe he held in his hand. The golden statue nearly sparkled, and Lena could nearly make out her own reflection in it. Unfortunately, she thought, this means it was likely just cleaned after another desecration by some omnic-hating teenagers with nothing better to do.

Tekhartha Mondatta... This was the last piece of his legacy. After years of trying to bring peace to King's Row, and hopefully the world... It was horrible that even this last reminder of him could barely go a day without being violated.

Lena's line of thought broke, though, when she was someone else standing at the statue. Normally, she'd sometimes see other people stop and look. Some, like her, paying respects to a great man. And some with more malicious intent that she'd have to scare off by revealing herself as Tracer.

However, she never encountered an omnic here before. They all typically went underground at night, in fear of human lynch mobs.

Her curiosity got the better of her, and she approached the omnic.

"Um, excuse me?" she said. "You... probably shouldn't be here right now. This place is dangerous for omnics, I wouldn't want you to get hurt..."

Slowly, the omnic turned his head to her. She nearly gasped in shock.

He wore a pair of baggy yellow pants, with a red fabric that wrapped around his waste and reached down to his knees. Draper over his shoulders was a ring of very large prayer beads, that Lena felt stupid for not noticing before. On his forehead were nine circular lights, shaped into a square. Although he could not make a facial expression, Lena could somehow sense a calm serenity from him.

"Do not fear for me." a peaceful robotic voice said.

"You... you're one of the Shambali..." she managed to say in surprise.

"I was once, yes..." he replied. "Though I left their order many years ago. I am called Tekhartha Zenyatta. What is your name?"

"Oh, I'm... I'm nobody special. Lena's my name, though. Lena Oxton. It's lovely to meet you."

Zenyatta cocked his head as she reached her hand out to him.

"All are special to the Iris, my new friend. It is lovely to meet you, Ms. Oxton."

After a moment, the omnic reach his hand out as well. Lena shook it gently, although she could tell from his awkward motions that he wasn't really used to it.

"So, If you don't mind me asking... what are you doing around these parts?" Lena asked. "I'm sorry to say, but this isn't really a good place for an omnic to come visit. Especially not now."

Even through his unchanging face, Tracer could tell that Zenyatta's "expression" became more somber.

"Yes, I am aware... But as I was traveling, I decided to come here to see this." he stated as he motioned toward the statue.

Tracer felt stupid now. Of course a member... or previous member of the Shambali would come here if they were in town.

"Mondatta was a wonderful teacher." Zenyatta continued, almost as if reading her thoughts. "Even after I departed from the order, we remained friends. I miss him very much..."

Lena felt a twinge of guilt at that last statement. Although she never spoke of it to anybody but this statue, she never got over that night. How she failed, how she allowed one of the most wonderful beings to walk the planet to die...

"I wish I could've helped him..." she said under her breath, thinking aloud.

"How so?"

Lena's eyes went wide as she looked up. Omnics had strong hearing, and she felt stupid for speaking when Zenyatta could hear her. If he learned that she was at fault for Mondatta dying...

"I, uhh..." she tried to speak nervously. She didn't want to lie, but at the same time, she couldn't speak the truth.

"Please do not be afraid to speak to me, my friend." the omnic said in a reassuring voice. "I am more than happy to listen."

The girl sighed. The whole reason she came here was to try and get things off her chest, maybe hoping that Mondatta's statue would hear her and forgive her for what happened. But maybe, if someone actually DID hear her...

"Ok, well... What if I... umm... what if I said that, on that night, when Mondatta... you know..." she tried to form the words. "What if I told you that I could have saved him?"

She immediately flinched, afraid of the reason. Would Zenyatta become angry? Would he try to hit her?

But when she looked, she just saw him standing as he was before, with that calming aura around him.

"Please, continue." he said, not showing a hint of negative emotion. "What is it that happened that night?"

The peaceful nature of the Shambali truly was legendary, Lena thought. But now that she started talking about, she couldn't back down.

"Well, while Mondatta was giving his speech, I was in the crowd. But when I looked up, I saw... I-I saw..."

Lena stopped again. The story would involve telling him all about her alias as Tracer, ex-Overwatch member. Just mentioning that name to him could get her in a LOT of trouble. And she didn't want to go into detail about... _her_. That bitch who she was disgusted to once consider a friend.

No, she shouldn't go that far into detail.

"I saw... the sniper. That woman from Talon, whatever they call her. She was... she was about to shoot Mondatta. And I was... well, I was running, and I thought maybe, if I could get in the way, or make him move, I could save him..."

Zenyatta continued to listen. Lena found herself surprised at how focused he was, not interrupting or showing any sign of doing anything but putting all of his brainpower into hearing her words.

"B-But... But I stopped... I was so scared... too scared..."

As much as she had tried to fight it, Tracer could feel a warm, wet line moving down her cold cheek now. She looked down, not wanting her listener to see her cry.

"I-I let him die, even though I c-could've saved him... I could've taken the bu-"

"That is enough."

Lena looked up, surprised. Zenyatta stood as has been the whole time, though he now held up a hand in a stopping motion.

"Dear Lena... Through your words, I could feel your guilt. The blame you push onto yourself for this. But you must know that this is not your fault."

"But... I could've..."

She froze completely as Zenyatta reached his had towards her slowly. She watched, afraid for a moment at what he might do.

The omnic, however, merely lifted his index finger to her cheek, wiping a tear away. Lena expected the feeling of freezing cold steel on her face, but was surprised at how warm it was.

"Mondatta is one with the Iris now. While what has happened is sad, it is not your fault. I know that he would not blame you. He likely smiles down upon you now, glad that you did not die in his place and that you have a full, wonderful life to live."

"You... you really think so?"

"I know so." Lena could tell that, if Zenyatta could, he would be smiling right now.

Something about his words... Lena hadn't felt so relieved in a long time, not even with Emily. Although she still felt twinges of guilt, it was like a weight was taken off of her back. Like the warm sun shone on her face...

Although she regretted that comparison now, as she shivered in the freezing cold London air. Zenyatta seemed to notice that, as well.

"Ah, I apologize. I cannot feel the cold myself, so I'm afraid I've forgotten how it must be affecting you. Perhaps you should head indoors?"

Although she had many questions she wanted to ask, Lena sadly agreed. She was cold and tired. She had been out quite a bit longer than she expected. Emily was certainly unhappy to fall asleep without her.

"I-I suppose I should head home... Would you l-like to come, too?" she asked as she shivered even through her coat.

Zenyatta shook his head, however.

"Thank you for the wonderful offer, but I should return to my travels. Besides, it is late, and you likely need to sleep as well. I wouldn't want to burden you."

The girl frowned, but understood. Omnics didn't sleep, so he likely had a 24-hour schedule to keep to.

"W-Will... Will I ever see you again?" she asked.

"I have a feeling that we will cross paths again. But should I return here again, I would very much like to visit with you."

That brought a smile to Tracer's face. It was cryptic, sure, but she felt that she would indeed meet him again.

"Now, go on." Zenyatta said in almost a teasing manner. "Do not freeze before our next encounter, Ms. Oxton."

"O-Ok... See you, Zenyatta!" she said as she turned around to head home. As she did, she turned around and waved. Zenyatta returned the wave in an awkward, robotic motion, which made her giggle as she left.

* * *

As the young girl left his sights, Zenyatta turned back to the statue. He did a slight hop, lifting his feet off of the ground. But instead of landing again, they folded beneath him, allowing him to hover off the ground in a sitting position.

"So, that was 'Tracer'..." he said to himself. "She was much like Genji described to me. I sense a very bright future ahead for her."

As he said that, he looked up at the face of the statue, focusing on how he looked at the globe he held in a loving way.

"I am certain you would feel the same, my friend..."


End file.
